Fog delays Vikings vs. Lancers baseball game

Just minutes after the first Eastern Connecticut Conference semifinal concluded between St. Bernard and New London, fog started rolling in from the south over the outfield wall.

It soon overspead the field just as Waterford and East Lyme took their infield practice for the second semifinal, but the game was allowed to begin.

It got as far as the bottom of the third before it was suspended. It will be completed at 2:30 p.m. today at Dodd Stadium, followed by the championship game at 7 p.m.

“It was a safety issue in the first inning, in the second inning and in the third inning,” East Lyme coach Jack Biggs said. “I’m surprised we got as far as we did because the visibility was very tough from the first pitch on.”

Eye on the ball

A pop-up in short left field by Waterford’s Patrick Rogers fell in between three players for a run-scoring double in the first inning. Fortunately for the next two innings, most of the batted balls stayed on the ground.

“Joking around, the team who hit three fly balls could have won this game,” Biggs said.

Then came a line drive into right field by East Lyme’s Al Lloyd to open the bottom of the third.

“I was trying to see it off the bat but once it was hit, I didn’t see it at all,” Waterford rightfielder Joe Mezzarana said. “I took the wrong step and saw it go by me. That’s the first time I saw it.”

Lloyd ended up at third and Waterford coach Art Peluso came out of the dugout.

“(Mezzarana) went down the line (and) he had no idea where it was. He was running in the opposite direction with his hands out and that’s just a safety issue,” Peluso said.

“If he hadn’t moved and the ball was hit right at him, he can’t defend himself — someone was going to get hurt.”

Umpires agreed and ordered a 30-minute delay. Instead of thinning out, the fog grew thicker and after 20 minutes, the game was called.

The winner of this game will play second-seeded St. Bernard, which defeated third-seeded New London, 3-0.

If East Lyme wins, it will be its second straight trip to the conference championship. The Vikings beat the Whalers last year.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.